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Centre of Defence Medicine

Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what personnel he plans to be located at the Centre of Defence Medicine in Birmingham on its planned opening by April 2001; and whence they will have been transferred. [103412]

Mr. Spellar: We envisage that the Centre for Defence Medicine will have a total of around 100 military and civilian staff when it opens in April 2001, and will then grow, in agreement with University Hospital Birmingham, to meet the requirements of the Defence Medical Services. Detailed planning to ensure the appropriate provision of manpower to the Centre for Defence Medicine and other Defence Medical Services commitments is currently in hand. Military medical personnel for the Centre will be drawn from Defence Secondary Care Agency, Defence Medical Training Organisation and other formations within the Defence Medical Services.

Chemical Weapons

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many chemical weapon production facilities have yet to be destroyed under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regulations. [103054]

Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.

The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive chemical weapons capability in the mid-1950s. In accordance with our obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) the UK has declared to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) eight former chemical weapons production facilities. Of these facilities, four have been destroyed, one is due to be destroyed, one has been approved by the OPCW to be used for purposes not prohibited by the CWC and the remaining two are awaiting similar approval from the OPCW.

In its 1998 Annual Report, the OPCW reported that fifty-nine chemical weapons production facilities had been declared by States Parties as of 31 December 1998. All of these will have to be destroyed unless the States Parties concerned decide to seek approval to use any of the facilities for peaceful purposes under the provisions of the CWC.

Concordat (Scotland and Wales)

Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will agree his concordat with the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales. [102474]

21 Dec 1999 : Column: 471W

Mr. Hoon [pursuant to his reply, 9 December 1999, c. 591W]: The agreement on the Ministry of Defence's bilateral concordat with the Welsh Assembly was not reached on 9 December as I stated. However, we have subsequently agreed the Ministry of Defence's concordat with the Cabinet of the Welsh Assembly for Wales. The Concordat sets out the principles governing the bilateral relationship between the Ministry of Defence and the Welsh Assembly. A copy of the Concordat has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

C-17s

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) geographical and (b) other constraints are placed on the three US Air Force C-17s which might be used by the RAF for the MOD's short-term lift requirement. [103107]

Mr. Kilfoyle [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what geographical, and other, constraints would be placed on the US Air Force C-17 aircraft if they were to be used by the RAF for the Short Term Strategic Airlift (STSA) requirement. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift, including the Boeing C-17. Any geographical or other constraints on aircraft operation form part of the Department's assessment. I am not able to disclose the details because it would prejudice the assessment of options that is currently under way and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 7 (Effective management and operations of the public sector) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.

Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability to provide logistic support for the three C-17s through the US supply system. [103109]

Mr. Kilfoyle [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what assessment has been made of the ability to provide logistic support to the C-17 aircraft through the USA supply system. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Boeing C-17. Logistic support forms part of the Department's assessment. In the case of C-17, the assessment does include consideration of utilising the existing US supply chain. I am withholding the content of the assessment under Exemption 13 (third

21 Dec 1999 : Column: 472W

party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information because it constitutes commercially sensitive information.

Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

Antonov 124-100

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) geographical and (b) other constraints are placed on the use of the Antonov 124-100. [103108]

Mr. Kilfoyle [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what geographical, and other, constraints are placed on the use of the Antonov AN 124-100. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirements for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124-100. Any geographical or other constraints on aircraft operation form part of the Department's assessment. I am not able to disclose the details because it would prejudice the assessment of options that is currently under way and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 7 (Effective management and operations of the public sector) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.

Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the prospects for short-term use of the Antonov 124-100. [103105]

Mr. Kilfoyle [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what assessment has been made of the prospects for the short-term use of the Antonov AN 124-100. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124-100. Options have been received from a number of companies and these are currently being assessed. I am therefore withholding commercially sensitive information under Exemption 13 (third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.

Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial savings he has assessed can be gained on the current defence budget by the use of the Antonov 124-100 for the short-term strategic airlift role. [103106]

21 Dec 1999 : Column: 473W

Mr. Kilfoyle [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what savings can be gained on the current defence budget by the use of the Antonov AN 124-100 for the Short Term Strategic Airlift role. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirements for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124-100. Options have been received from a number of companies and these are currently being assessed. The costs and potential savings associated with each option are commercially sensitive and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 13 (third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.

Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times the Antonov 124-100 aircraft has been used by the MoD-RAF in the last two years. [103102]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The RAF has chartered the following Antonov 124-100s to date:

Year	Number
1998	16
1999	53

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